http://polaris.umuc.edu/~flazarus/

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[GBU]

The Art of Web Page Design:
- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - Critique

Hey no cheating now by looking at my answers.
Factors listed in no particular order and not exhaustive.

1. ABC (10)
   1. Relevant content.
   2. Number of typefaces used, not counting advertisement graphics, = 2.
   3. Muted use of color.
   4. Set for a 640X480 window.
   5. Asymmetric.
   6. Narrow columns.
   7. Obvious Navigation, easy undo.
   8. Time sensitive material is on first page.
   9. Left hand index for static items, right hand index for transit items, and specialized links across the top, keeping the types separated.
   10. Uses tables for formatting.
   11. Uses flyaway.
   12. Maintains format on 'inside' pages.
   13. Includes a search engine.
   14. Tests and customizes for different browsers.
   15. Uses image map for left hand index.
   16. Black text on white background for content.
   17. Content available at every level.
   18. Very ordered feel. Good use of white space.

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2. NBC (8)
   1. Scrolling news banner is the first thing that catches your eye. I wonder if this is the intent.
   2. 640X480 window a bit off.
   3. Single typeface used, excluding advertisements.
   4. Relevant content.
   5. Narrow columns.
   6. Obvious Navigation, easy undo.
   7. Asymmetric.
   8. Use of a complex array of frames, image maps, tables, scripts, and forms to achieve high density of data in a rather limited space. Appears to test only for old browsers.
   9. Uses standard left hand for static, right hand for dynamic and top for specialized links.
   10. Uses a flyaway window onLoad for a survey. Apparently sets a cookie so as not to repeatedly annoy you.
   11. Includes search engine.
   12. Inside format more variable than ABC.
   13. Includes a site map.
   14. Time sensitive material on first page.

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3. CBS, National (9)
   1. Relevant content.
   2. Narrow columns.
   3. Open with a one time quiz recommends browser to use.
   4. Uses clever image map to pinpoint local station if you chose that option.
   5. Tests for browser.
   6. Uses style sheets, tables, and scripts for formatting.
   7. Sized to fit 640X480 window.
   8. Single typeface.
   9. Asymmetric.
   10. Obvious navigation, easy undo.
   11. Color more in-your-face than ABC or NBC.
   12. Left hand static index, transient index down the middle and drop down menus across the top.
   13. Includes site map.
   14. Content one level deep.
   15. Black on white text for content.
   16. Allows local orientation.
   17. Time sensitive material on first page.

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4. DHTML GURU (8)

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5. Shenandoha (9)
   1. 800X600 window.
   2. Obvious navigation, easy undo.
   3. Uses frames for formatting.
   4. Arresting graphics.
   5. Muted colors.
   6. Single interesting typeface for content.
   7. Content relevant.
   8. Inline links.
   9. Last update.
   10. Contact information.
   11. Column width not controlled.
   12. Citations.

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6. Health (8)
   1. 800X600 window.
   2. Obvious navigation, easy undo.
   3. Uses frames and style sheets for formatting.
   4. Arresting graphics.
   5. Muted colors.
   6. Single interesting typeface.
   7. Content relevant.
   8. Inline links.
   9. Last update.
   10. Contact information.
   11. Citations.

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7. Save The Planet (7)
   1. Non-conventional navigation. Need to learn it, particularly to undo.
   2. Uses drop downs for links.
   3. 640X480 window, though not always.
   4. Uses tables for formatting.
   5. Muted colors.
   6. Typeface not consistent.
   7. Content relevant.
   8. Last update.
   9. Contact information.
   10. Citations.

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8. John Hopkins University (5)
   1. Optimized for IE 4.x but not for Communicator 4.x.
   2. Tables and an image map used for format control.
   3. Standard left hand index.
   4. First page is a catalog.
   5. Format not consistent on inner pages.
   6. Inner pages are often more catalogs.
   7. Quite difficult to find information. For example, try and find 'Net Data Eval. top down. I don't think I'll comment on the form and format of this JHU entry though ugly comes to mind. However note that the content is quite good.

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9. eon magazine (4)
   1. Yikes! Cluttered.
   2. Fits a 640X480 window.
   3. Dark, with low contrast to text, background makes reading difficult.
   4. Permanent index on left and right. Combined on left on inner pages.
   5. Transient info down the middle.
   6. No obvious way back to first page.
   7. Some interesting flyout effects (Voyager)
   8. Content one or two clicks down.
   9. Uses frames, style sheets, tables, image maps and script for formatting.

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10. World Wide Web Consortium (9)
    1. Athoritative but not pretty.
    2. A multi-level catalog.
    3. Line length not controled.
    4. Many, many inline links.
    5. Adjusts to fit any size window.
    6. Uses tables as well as style sheets to control format.
    7. Site search engine.
    8. Last update information.

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11. Stamps (7)
    1. Navigation though primative never allows the reader to get lost.
    2. Obvious last update.
    3. A no nonsese business site. Facts just the facts with no fluff. I suspect that it works based on content.
    4. Mailboxes a bit funky.
    5. Fits all windows.
    6. Text column width constrained.
    7. I detect a professional designers hand.

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12. Bloomberg (10)
    1. Talk about a site with high information density.
    2. Standard fixed index on left, transient information right, specialized links across the top, and current informational links dow the middle.
    3. Single, no serif, typeface.
    4. Dropdown menues to save space.
    5. Muted colors.
    6. Colors used to diferentiate sections.
    7. Content one click down.
    8. Column width constrained for text.
    9. Fits 640X480 window.
    10. Use of a complex array of image maps, tables, scripts, style sheets, and forms to achieve high density of data in a rather limited space. No frames.
    11. Content black text on white background.
    12. Active graphics.

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13. Scout Report (9)
    1. Adjusts to Window size.
    2. Appears to use browser default typeface.
    3. Main index on left with additional links nested at bottom.
    4. Does not control column width.
    5. Uses tables for format control.
    6. Search engine for archives.
    7. Format not consistant on 'inner' pages.
    8. Content is clearly the driving force.

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14. Art-Smart (4)
    1. Nonstanard navigation that requires learning.
    2. More later perhaps.

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15. Aperture Gallery

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